Sunday, July 2, 2017

Christmas in July 2017: Johnny Holmes

Santa Claus.......so many different portrayals, and I love so many of them. However,
I'll go with Edmund Gwenn's Academy Award winning performance of Kris Kringle in the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street. This is one of my favorite films ever, and Gwenn's performance is warm and charming. His sincerity and kindness shines through throughout his memorable performance in this classic film. After the touching ending of this film, one can't help to believe that Edmund Gwenn is truly the one and only Santa Claus.

from 1968's Christmas episode of Family Affair

2) What's your favorite Christmas episode from a TV series?

Well, again, so many memorable Christmas episodes from classic TV series that I love including The Honeymooners, Happy Days, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Twilight Zone among others, but the extremely touching and emotional Christmas episode from Family Affair tugs at my heart every year. It demonstrates the importance of the true gift of friendship and also how insightful children can be. I have a personal connection to this episode, many years ago I was sick and in the hospital Christmas Eve, and I got the best Christmas present when I was discharged Christmas morning. Circumstances of life certainly help put things into the proper perspective. This touching episode reinforces this.

3) Do you enjoy watching Christmas entertainment year round or do you only like watching it during the holidays? And, why?

Yes, I admit that I do occasionally watch Christmas entertainment year round, although more sporadically. I may watch a particular show that pops up in my memory, and I will throw it on for a quick view. Also, some musical number may play in my head, such as some of the great musical numbers from Rankin/Bass that many of them I can listen to year round. One of my very favorites is the delightful "Put One Foot in Front of the Other" musical number from the Rankin/Bass classic Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town. Once Christmastime rolls around, then it's full throttle with Christmas programming!!!

4) This is the 21st century--how do you watch TV and/or Christmas entertainment?

I love the idea of accumulating my own personal collection of Christmas programming on DVD/Blu-Ray discs. I have purged myself of all of my VHS tapes, so the collection consists of DVD's and Blu-Ray's. I even keep them all in a big decorated box that I store on the top of my DVD shelf. When it's time to decorate, I pull down the box and set it up on as small table for the holiday season. Many of these I have ripped as digital files and have archived them on a hard drive for my own use throughout the house. This allows my DVD/Blu-Ray's to sit safely in the box and I can create my own creative Christmas play list and play them on my TV via my laptop in our basement TV room or up in my office, without all the muss and fuss of spreading discs all around the house and shuffling all of the Christmas discs in and out of the cases. Sometimes technology can do some cool stuff!!!!!

5) If you were to be stranded on an island (maybe Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean!), what three Christmas movies, specials, or episodes would you like to have with you?

Choice number 1 for my island Christmas viewing is the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street as mentioned in question #1. Choice number 2 is the classic holiday film, It's a Wonderful Life. I love that film, I watch it each and every year at least once if not twice. It is so touching, and teaches us to appreciate what we are blessed with. We do not realize how blessed we are, until we don't have it anymore. Way to go George Bailey!!!! Choice number 3 is the delightful Rankin/Bass classic Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town. I love the story, the humor of Burgermeister Meisterburger, and as I mentioned in question #3, I love the wonderful musical numbers in this wonderful Rankin/Bass classic. This will allow me to "Put One Foot in Front of the Other" and walk across the entire island along with my fellow castaways!!!! Merry Christmas in July everybody!!!!

Yes! Our preferences and connections to Christmas entertainment seem quite personal. Well said. And thanks to Johnny for reminding us of this point in such a special way. BTW: I've been singing "Put One Foot in Front of the Other" for days now :D

Thanks everybody!!!! It's awesome to keep some Christmas magic sparking all year round!!!! Enjoy the Summer....next thing you know it will be time to pull out our giant box of Christmas DVD's and begin celebrating!!!!.....Woo-Hoo!!!!

Wonderful answers, Johnny! I so enjoyed reading this! You are so right - Edmund Gwenn is absolutely warm and charming in "Miracle on 34th Street." I think he could make even Scrooge believe in him!

I also love the "Put One Foot in Front of the Other" musical number from the Rankin/Bass cartoon "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town!" So fun! It certainly is a classic - and makes one feel so happy inside!